


of comforting accents, odd jealousy, and reconciliation

by santanico



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Insecurity, Jealousy, M/M, Platonic Female/Male Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2013-09-16
Packaged: 2017-12-26 19:15:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/969315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/santanico/pseuds/santanico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kirk and Spock begin to notice a significant change in their respective partners; and that change could be described as friendship, or, possibly, something else. Neither of them know how to deal with their feelings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	of comforting accents, odd jealousy, and reconciliation

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this lovely post, though I'm not sure if I was able to live up to the premise (http://muhbones.tumblr.com/post/59634944479/ive-read-a-million-fics-where-bones-and-uhura-are). I borrowed some of the notable ideas, with permission.

“Hey, Bo - ”

Kirk is cut off by Uhura’s voice, but he misses what exactly she’s saying. Bones starts laughing though, leaning his head back and grinning.

“I didn’t realize you had such a sense of humor,” Kirk overhears Bones saying. Awkwardly, he tries to make himself look casual instead of blatantly staring, and leans against the wall. He’s not sure why he feels like he’s been caught when he hears Bones saying his name.

“Kirk! Captain.” Bones’ hand is light on his shoulder, friendly and affectionate, and Jim looks up, pursing his lips and then forcing a smile. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Kirk is relieved to hear that. “Hey, Uhura,” he greets, and she smiles at him obliviously. He looks back at Bones. “Looking for me?”

“I’ll…see you later.” Uhura is still smiling, and when Kirk looks at her there’s a sly sense in her eyes. She brushes Kirk’s shoulder as she walks past and waves at Bones as she heads down the hall.

“Yeah, I was looking for you.”

-

“Hey, Spock?”

“Yes, Captain?”

Kirk sighs. “Can you call me Jim? For just a few minutes.”

He stares forwardly at the wall, but he can still feel Spock watching him and furrowing his thick eyebrows. Despite the picture that Spock puts up, he knows when moods switch, and he knows when Kirk is trying to be his friend instead of his superior. Sometimes they manage to be casual, if Spock picks up the social cues.

This time he does, and he leans back again, shoulders relaxing. 

“Why are we standing in a hallway?”

Spock chuckles. “I don’t believe that’s what you initially meant to tell me. In any case, I’m not entirely sure.”

Kirk chuckles and then hums before pressing the palms of his hand into his eyeballs.

“How’s Uhura?” he asks, looking up at Spock and watching those eyebrows rise comically. It was worth asking just for that reaction.

“You could ask her yourself.” There’s a certain spark of sarcasm in Spock’s voice that makes Kirk laugh a little more fully again.

“You’re funnier than you appear. You should stop pretending so often.”

“I don’t pretend. I just adjust to the situation.”

Kirk hums. “That’s a good point.”

“Why do you ask about Lieutenant Uhura?”

“Come on, you can call her by her name.

“Why do you ask about Uhura?” Spock repeats easily, refusing to give in completely.

“Have you noticed her acting…strangely?”

“I am not sure where you’re going with this…what do you suspect?” Spock is staring now and Kirk shifts slightly.

“I don’t really know, man, it’s just…” He leans back against the wall, tapping his head a few times in frustration. “It’s not Uhura, really.”

“Then…?” Spock imposes questioningly.

“Bones? Maybe?”

“What about Dr. McCoy?”

“Spock, come on.”

He doesn’t say anything and Kirk rolls his eyes to continue. “Well, I know you and Uhura are obviously still – whatever you’re doing. Can’t really call it dating, I guess. And I know that you know that Bones and I…have…an entanglement.” He cringes at his own wording and groans when he sees that Spock is smirking. “Don’t look like that. It’s abnormal.”

Spock shrugs. “There’s no winning, according to you. Go on.”

Kirk still appreciates Spock’s willingness to listen, even if it’s just because they’re on autopilot for a few weeks with very little to do.

“The point is, Uhura and Bones, they’ve both been – they’ve been acting strangely.”

“…Strangely? Please elaborate.”

“Like…friendly. Like, really friendly. Like, she’s laughing at his bad jokes and vice versa friendly.”

Spock hums. He’s suddenly stiff and Kirk look at him for a moment, frowning. “What are you thinking?”

“I am not sure.”

Kirk sighs. “Alright, well, you’re no help. Sorry for bothering you, bud.” He claps Spock on the shoulder and heads in the other direction.

-

“I’ve noticed it.”

Kirk jumps in the Captain’s seat. “Spock, Jesus Christ! Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Spock frowns at Kirk incredulously for a short moment and then shakes his head. “What you said the other day, about Uhura and Dr. McCoy.”

Kirk rolls his eyes. “Call him Leonard if you have to, jeez.”

Spock ignores him again, standing up straight and folding his hands neatly behind his back. “Nyota and the doctor - ” he takes a beat, as if embarrassed by a slight slip up, “have been spending frequent time together.”

“Huh.” Kirk says, frowning deeply. “Have you seen Uhura today?”

“Yes, earlier, but she was busy working on translations that had been put off until now. And have you seen the doctor?”

“Yeah, well…duh.” Kirk clears his throat and refuses to make eye contact, staring at the huge glass structure in front of him steadily.

Spock doesn’t comment on the implications of Kirk’s statement, and Kirk is grateful.

“How odd. You wouldn’t expect those two to develop a connection, would you?”

“Well, she’s a beautiful woman and he’s got the rugged, genius doctor thing going for him. I can’t say I really blame them.”

Spock hums, monotonous.

-

“She finds his accent pleasing.”

“God – goddammit, Spock.”

“I’m sorry, Captain. Did I interrupt a deep thought?”

Kirk scowls. “Whose accent? What?” he says when he finally catches up with what Spock had said. “And yeah, you interrupted a deep thought,” Kirk says darkly, glaring at Spock from his chair. Spock seems unbothered, only frowning, but Kirk figures that’s because of something else.

“Uhura finds Dr. McCoy’s accent both charming and calming. She was telling me about it over lunch today.”

“Ouch,” Kirk mutters, wincing. He sighs heavily. “They really have been spending more time together, haven’t they?”

Spock straightens himself and turns his head in the other direction, pointedly not making eye contact. “So it would seem.”

“Do you feel threatened?” Kirk asks honestly.

Spock doesn’t answer.

-

Bones kisses are still warm, and they certainly aren’t distant. He hitches Kirk’s thigh around his hip and grinds their bodies together, eliciting a shocked gasp from Kirk as he tilts his head back.

“Hey, Bones…?”

McCoy bites gently on Kirk’s bare shoulder, nosing at his neck. “Don’t call me that in bed.”

“Can I ask you something?”

McCoy palms at Kirk’s crotch slowly, then moving his hand to Kirk’s hip and massaging. “Only if you call me Leonard,” he teases, but his voice is somewhat sharp, like the edge of a dull blade.

Kirk groans, though this time not very sexily, and drops his head on McCoy’s shoulder. “C’mon, Bones.”

“I was serious,” McCoy murmurs, but now his voice is softer and his hands trail up Kirk’s back, fingers spreading between his shoulders. He reaches his other hand up into Kirk’s hair, gently rubbing his fingers against Kirk’s scalp. “What is it, Jim? What’s bothering you?”

Kirk sighs. “It’s nothing,” he says and then swaps positions, pushing Bones down on the bed by his shoulder in a moment of vulnerability. Bones looks both surprised and pleased, and he grins as Kirk sits up and drags him down the bed before leaning down and starting to kiss down his chest. “Don’t worry about it.”

As Kirk finds McCoy’s cock with his mouth and releases him from his underwear, the conversation just fades naturally.

-

“You guys need to figure out what’s going on. Is it a love rectangle? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those in action.”

Kirk looks up at Sulu and blinks. “…Excuse me?”

“Uh, I mean, Captain – is everything alright between you and Dr. McCoy?”

Kirk scowls and lets out a breath. “You’re talking about the – the thing.”

Sulu arches an eyebrow. “What thing, sir?”

“Come on, don’t call me sir. This is inappropriate. We shouldn’t even be talking about this?”

Sulu looks around the large room – it’s very similar to the idea of a school cafeteria, except on a starship. “It’s dinnertime. You’re off-duty. So am I.”

“Then why are you calling me ‘sir’?”

Sulu laughs. “Force of habit. Anyway, give me the details, alright? I want to know the drama.”

“There isn’t any drama,” Kirk says, but it sounded forced and fake, even to himself. “Well, I mean, not that I know of.”

“What are you suspicious of?”

Kirk glances around the wide room, and eventually spots Uhura, who he’d been looking for. She’s casually dressed now, her long hair braided loosely down her back. He expects to find her talking to Spock, but is somehow surprised when it’s Bones instead on her other side, holding a tray of food.

He tries, and fails, not to be offended.

“Ahh.”

“Don’t – what are you looking at!?” Kirk stutters, embarrassed to see that Sulu’s gaze has followed his own. “Do you think they’re hooking up or something? You know Leo would never do that to you. He’s a good guy.”

“I – I know,” Kirk stammers, his voice shaking uncharacteristically. “I’m just…confused. He’s telling her things he doesn’t even tell me.”

“And how would you know that?” Sulu says before taking a bite of his salad. He chews, watching Kirk, and it feels threatening.

“If I were to approach them, he’d stop talking. And stop looking at her, pretend like she wasn’t there, and like they weren’t talking at all. But she never looks offended, she never seems to think it’s rude. You know, Spock is weirded out by all of this, too.”

“Of course he is,” Sulu says through a mouthful of tomato and croutons. “He’s Spock. That kind of social interaction stuff is hard enough for him as it is. The fact that he’s managed to be able to call you and Leonard and myself ‘friends’ without flinching, and that he’s romantically involved with Uhura, is, frankly, a miracle. No offense to him or anything, he’s really a great dude. He’s just not so good at the social cues. Which makes perfect sense, you know? I am surprised that he would be intimidated, though. He always seems so sure of himself.” Sulu takes a swallow from a glass of water. “The reason Uhura isn’t bothered is because she knows how important you are to Leonard. And the reason he drops everything is because he likes you. Loves you, probably. Don’t be so insecure.”

Kirk huffs and leans back on his chair, chicken ranch burger forgotten.

-

Spock and Kirk end up bonding over their mutual distress.

“The doctor is, at present, much more qualified in helping Uhura with her emotional…issues.”

Kirk groans. “Your girlfriend is a super mega babe who’s also a genius and speaks like, a thousand languages fluently.”

“She finds the doctor’s sense of humor genuine, and enjoys listening to stories of the time before he joined Starfleet.”

“Uhura’s clever and witty and I bet she’s really nice to cuddle with.”

They make eye contact, both frowning.

“Do you think we should just…man-up and confront them about it?”

Spock frowns. “That seems more logical, perhaps.”

Kirk scoffs. “Is that the only word you know?”

-

“Is this…an intervention?” Uhura and Bones exchange worried glances. “What’s going on?”

Spock and Kirk glance at each other and nod in unison – Bones’ eyebrows shoot up and he snorts.

“Sit down, please.”

Uhura is frowning and Bones gives Kirk a questioning glance, but they both lower themselves back into the chairs around the table. Spock and Kirk sit down across from their respective partners.

Spock is the first to speak up. “Nyota, if you wish to begin a relationship with Doctor McCoy on a sexual or romantic level…” At this point Bones interrupts Spock’s smooth sentence by nearly bursting into laughs. He only manages to gather himself after Kirk shoots him a sharp glare, kicking him from under the table. Spock clears his throat, “then though I would find this highly advisable and illogical, I should respect your decision. I would simply appreciate a - ”

“Spock!” Uhura interrupts. “Spock, are you – are you…?” She trails off, frowning deeply, and Kirk decides it’s the opportune moment to cut in, facing Bones head on.

“She’ll never put up with your snoring habits. Also, she doesn’t know you. Intimately. Like I do. You can’t expect a blowjob to ever go down as well as - ”

“Jim!”

“Oh.”

There’s a moment of awkward silence.

“I think…I think there may be some confusion here?” Bones finally says, and although his face is a little red, he mostly looks unhappy. “Jim? What’s wrong?”

Spock and Kirk exchange another look.

“We’re really insecure.”

Spock frowns but doesn’t interrupt or correct Kirk.

“You two have been all buddy-buddy for the past month or so, I’m not really sure…and neither of us knows how to happened, or why. It just feels sorta…well, alright, I’ll be honest here, Uhura’s a catch – no offense, Lieutenant, I mean that as professionally as possible – and I wouldn’t blame you for wanting to like, cuddle up with her, ya know, it gets cold and I know I always steal the blankets but –”

“Captain!” Uhura interrupts.

Bones blinks slowly and Kirk ducks his head, embarrassed.

“Spock?” Uhura asks this time, and she frowns at him with concern painted in her expression. “Has Jim been filling your head with this crap?” She shoots Kirk a quick glare, and he feels it burn into him. “You know it’s crap – right?”

Spock rests his hands on the table, clasped together, and immediately Uhura covers them with her own. Suddenly the room feels very tight for Kirk, who shifts nervously in his seat. There’s an intimacy being displayed between Spock and Uhura that he’s always felt slightly discomfited by, and he’s about to just get up and leave when Bones touches the side of his face.

And all of the sudden, Spock and Uhura don’t even exist.

-

Kirk notices, not much later, that Spock and Uhura have taken to different movements, different ways of touching. Spock is more initiative, maybe because he’s got a chance to appreciate Uhura’s touch, and Uhura smiles more when he brushes the small of her back or leans down to gently press their lips together. It’d be disgusting for Kirk to see if it didn’t simultaneously make him happy, but it’s also – confusing. Spock and Uhura aren’t Kirk and McCoy, and McCoy definitely doesn’t have the same forgiveness streak that Uhura is so well known for.

He’s cold at first, but all it takes is time. They still sleep next to each other, usually barely touching, good-night kisses and good-morning kisses being all they exchange before heading to their posts – but Kirk apologizes without words, starting with slow kisses and eventually working his way up to longer ones, until a morning when he and McCoy don’t have anything scheduled, a slow day. Bones tastes like toothpaste, and Kirk murmurs “minty fresh,” against his mouth, managing to elicit a bare chuckle from Bones. As they kiss, their bodies warm up, and the pleasant sensations of sex work their way into their cores. Bones isn’t exactly resistant at first, but hesitant, and until his arm locks firmly around Kirk’s waist, pulling Kirk on top of him on their shared bed, Kirk isn’t sure if this is going to play out the way he wants it to.

But Bones lets him, gives way completely, and it’s amazing. It isn’t as if Kirk’s never fucked him before – but Bones has always been a little uneasy about it at first, until he finally holds Kirk’s hand and relaxes. Now Bones is totally relaxed, hands over his head and long torso spread out and ready to be touched. Kirk doesn’t give either of them enough time to rethink the situation, crawling over and straddling Bones’ lap, kissing his stomach and then his chest, finally Bones’ throat. 

They’re clockwork, puzzle pieces, every age-old cliché that Kirk can even consider. He hitches McCoy’s thighs up together and Bones grunts. He’s smiling now, doesn’t mind being have dragged down the bed as Kirk settles between his legs.

The relief keeps them connected.


End file.
